Estonian SSR

The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was an unrecognized Soviet socialist republic that existed from 1940 to 1941 and from 1944 to 1991, with Tallinn serving as its capital. The ESSR was established following the USSR's annexation of Estonia on 21 July 1940, and many foreign countries did not recognize the communist government, instead regarding Estonia as an occupied country. On 16 November 1988, Estonia declared state sovereignty from Moscow, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so. On 30 March 1990, Estonia declared a transitional period for the country's full independence, and Estonia became independent on 20 August 1991. On 6 September 1991, the USSR recognized Estonia's independence.